Researching an ancestor’s other life

We live in a world where divorce is more and more prevalent. Much more so than in the past, but it still existed. Even if divorce was not in your family, an ancestor may have still been married before. Many women died in childbirth and many men died from harsh work environments.

One of my grandfather’s, was married before he married his grandmother. He married young and she died shortly after childbirth. That daughter was raised by her mother’s family and we seldom saw her, although she was never kept a secret.

Almost a decade would pass before my grandfather married my grandmother.

When I began researching my family history, I longed to learn more about my grandfather’s first wife. Who was she? What was she like? How did she die?

All of these were questions that I set out to answer and some were easier to uncover than others. However, I wanted to know and this also meant discovering who her family and ancestors were.

If you have an ancestor that had multiple marriages, don’t forget to take the time to research his/her other spouse and their own family tree. You never know what you might find.